[starry]

I have 2 wasps that have twice started to build separate nests in my  large plastic storage box at my allotment is there anything I can put in the box to put them off?  they are very persistent little b*****s!!

[Goosegirl]

How are they getting in - you could seal any entry points with weatherproof tape stuff. To deter them - ummm - don't know - sorry.

[RichardA]

spray heavily with wasp killer to leave a residue they will avoid in locations chosen but watch your own/others/kids safety if spraying inside or if anyone can get it onto hands or near food etc.
Ant powder has also served to deter wasps here when we had them entering thro air bricks and nesting under floorboards - we puffed ant powder into air bricks and all wasp visits stopped. There are many wasp killing products on internet if gets extreme but overall wasps are beneficial so deterring is a good way to go.
R

[Swing Swang]

A few sprigs of crushed laurel leaves should act as a deterrent as the gas the bruised leaves gives off is poisonous to insects.

I would suggest that you consider that you are storing crushed laurel leaves rather than using them as a home-made insecticide as that would of course be illegal!

[ex-cavator]

I would suggest that you consider that you are storing crushed laurel leaves rather than using them as a home-made insecticide as that would of course be illegal!

... I'm curious to know why that would be illegal? 

[compostqueen]

Making your own weedkillers and insecticides is illegal apparently

I wouldn't want to  kill wasps but if they're nesting you want to dissuade them and hopefully encourage them to nest elsewhere

Try and block the entrance to the box to keep it out.  It will then find somewhere else

I wouldn't want wasps dead as they eat aphids, which is good news

[Swing Swang]

It's illegal to use non-approved insecticides in the EU. This site comes down heavily on any members that even dare to suggest anything naughty. Just covering my cottontail from the wrath of the mods. My guess is that to be strictly legal you could store crushed laurel in plastic containers, but if you put them there specifically as an insecticide then you'd be acting illegally. It's a bonkers world that we live in. Bring back creosote and derris and nicotine and ars*nic and all the other toxins that the Victorians were so fond of(note the cunning use of an asterisk in case the 'police' don't like bottoms!)

[Swing Swang]

@ compostqueen - looks like our posts crossed/were posted at the same time

[JayG]

Good to see that Swing Swang has read and assimilated site owner John's advice on the use of unlicensed pesticides. 

I'm sure others will also appreciate why the mods have to be wary of posts advocating home-made "remedies" (whatever we might think about them in some instances!)

John's advice: http://www.allotment-garden.org/vegetable/general/home-made-pesticide.php

[peapod]

Swing Swang, its not the 'mods' who come down heavily on this...we do it because we have to whatever we or anyone else may think about these kinds of remedies.

I remember when I was a kid and absolutely loving the smell of creosote...Id love to smell that again 

[starry]

hmm swingswang I Like the idea of the Laural leaves just got to find a Laural bush now! we have plenty of rhododendrons around us  I wouldn't like to kill them (wouldn't like them ganging up on me)

[starry]

Swing Swang, its not the 'mods' who come down heavily on this...we do it because we have to whatever we or anyone else may think about these kinds of remedies.

I remember when I was a kid and absolutely loving the smell of creosote...Id love to smell that again  

I find the smell of jeyes fluid a good alternative to cresote!!


edit to clarify quote

[peapod]

Thats strange, Jeyes just reminds me of the school toilets after the holidays